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ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 24, 2006, 11:31 PM

Alright, I remember seeing some LSAT/Law school threads around here over the years, and I know at least a few of you are lawyers. So I just completed my last semester at the University of Alberta, and did the LSAT at this month's sitting, and I've been applying and/or in the process of applying to various law schools around Canada. I did my undergrad in science (environmental biology), and my goal at this point is to go into environmental law. I have/will be applying to Queen's, Ottawa, Western, UNB, Dalhousie, Calgary, UVic and possibly Manitoba law schools in Canada.

I'm also casually looking around in the States, although with the difference in tuition I don't know if that looks like a smart option (the most expensive law school in Canada, U of Toronto, is 16 grand/year...that's peanuts down South

).

My LSAT score was pretty decent, and my GPA in the past couple years has been pretty solid as well, although I'm hurting on my cumulative GPA since I fooled around and took it easy the first couple years. Many law schools here in Canada only look at the last two years, or weight the LSAT more or less compared to GPA, or drop some of the worst marks from your overall GPA (which will help me a lot!).

Anyways, yeah, I guess I just wanted to do some random brain-picking of any knowledgeable people who happened to be hanging around here. Has anyone went to any law schools in Canada? Do you think any of the above are good, or crap? Anyone have an opinion on environmental law, or where it might be going, or what law schools are well-known for it? Anyone think spending the extra dough to go to the States might be worth it? Does anyone think I should apply to Harvard just to waste the application fee on a rejection, which will ruin my spirit and crush my soul for eternity? Anyone hate lawyers, or even worse lawyers talking about the environment? Does anyone have nightmares about the LSAT? OJ Simpson?

*steeples fingers*

Tell me.

greg

Yose · Dec 25, 2006, 12:43 AM

I'm not a lawyer, but my older brother is, and my younger brother might end up as one. My older brother did his undergrad at Queen's and chose Western for law. He liked it very much and London, ON is a great place to live (I spent a lot of time down there moving him from apartment to apartment each year).

I think the coolest thing that came out of going to Western was his exchange to Australia for his last semester. It made his articling interviews harder, but it all worked out.

Good luck.

All_Insane · Dec 25, 2006, 01:09 AM

First post after months of lurking...

One of my Soc profs had a lot to say about the universities he'd attended. He really enjoyed Dalhousie and also McMaster. He said only bad things about the U of Calgary (and not just to fuel the battle of Alberta

). I have a friend who's studying law at Queen's right now, and he seems to be enjoying himself.

Congrats on finishing up the U of A (I just finished my BA... feel's so sweet!) and good luck finding the best law school.

SSharon · Dec 25, 2006, 11:25 AM

I just finished my first semester of law school. I go to a school in Long Island, but one of my classmates is from Vancouver. She told me that she always wanted to go to new york and eventually work there so she chose a US school. I have always been told to go to a school in the state you plan on practicing in, but that may not apply up north by you.

feel free to PM/IM me with any general questions though.

mindwaves · Dec 25, 2006, 12:00 PM

So how is the 1st year of law school like? What classes do you take? I'm thinking of going into law school in 2008. Is a set program like you have to take this class this quarter or is it more free to choose around?

I'm going to attend my first law class at USC next semester (not formally admitted however). It's on patent law which is what I plan on doing later on in life. Thanks!

Salty · Dec 25, 2006, 12:02 PM

It applies up north. My sister took law in Manitoba and is basically stuck in Manitoba unless she studies on her own to pass the bar in other provinces. That said she actually just got on as a military lawyer so I don't even know how things will work for her now.

SSharon · Dec 25, 2006, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by mindwaves

So how is the 1st year of law school like? What classes do you take? I'm thinking of going into law school in 2008. Is a set program like you have to take this class this quarter or is it more free to choose around?

I'm going to attend my first law class at USC next semester (not formally admitted however). It's on patent law which is what I plan on doing later on in life. Thanks!

I didn't get to choose any of my classes. I took 5 classes

Torts
Contracts
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Criminal Law
Legal Process (a writing class)

Next semester I will take part II of all of the above except for criminal law which will be replaced with Property.

I think I get to choose a class or two next fall.

I can tell you more Jan. 3 when I get my grades. I only had 2 midterms and they were only worth 20% of my grade. Essentially everything rides on the final.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 25, 2006, 06:21 PM

Yeah, AFAIK the first year of law school is pretty much "set" for you (like engineering). After first year you can start to focus on what you want to do, eg. environmental law or (shudder) tax law.

You have to be called to the bar in each province, but from what I understand once you can pass one it's not a big stretch to pass another. One of my references passed in Nova Scotia, Ontario and then Alberta, and it was her opinion that where you go to law school in Canada doesn't really have any impact on where you can pass the bar and/or practice.

Dalhousie is really well known for environmental law in Canada, and I've never met a Dal grad who didn't rave about the school. To be honest I don't like London that much, and Queen's (or maybe Ottawa) would be preferable to me. My big problem is that I really wanted to stay out by the Rockies and get as many runs on my monsterous new snowboard as I could, but Calgary is a really expensive city and the law school isn't quite as well-respected, and Victoria is so far away from my family and girlfriend in Toronto. Quite the dilemna...snowboarding, girlfriend, snowboarding....

Of course, all this provides that I get some offers in the first place...so here's to hoping...

greg

SSharon · Dec 25, 2006, 11:55 PM

I'm sure you will get in just fine. I didn't have such great grades, I had a decent score on the LSATs, and I have some rather diverse work experience.

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 26, 2006, 05:03 PM

Yeah, my overall GPA is fairly low, but in the last two years (4 semesters) it'll have been around the 3.9 mark. I somehow managed to luck out on the LSAT and get a 173, and for some reason that was 99th percentile in the December sitting, so I'm thinking that will end up making up for my terrible grades in the first couple years.

Hopefully I'll end up getting a choice of schools, so I can background research and pick the one that really fits what I want to do....

greg

SSharon · Dec 28, 2006, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton

Yeah, my overall GPA is fairly low, but in the last two years (4 semesters) it'll have been around the 3.9 mark. I somehow managed to luck out on the LSAT and get a 173, and for some reason that was 99th percentile in the December sitting, so I'm thinking that will end up making up for my terrible grades in the first couple years.

Hopefully I'll end up getting a choice of schools, so I can background research and pick the one that really fits what I want to do....

greg

yikes, that is a damn good lsat score. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I'm sure they told you that the lsat has nothing to do with law school though, right?

ShortcutToMoncton · Dec 28, 2006, 10:27 PM

Hahahaha....yeah, I've heard it's just another hoop they make you jump through to get in, and then (like most of those "professional tests") you can completely forget it.

I think it does train one in some respects, though, especially in argumentation and giving you a method to sort things out in your head. I noticed that I've become a little better at honing in on an arguments' weakness since I started studying for the LSAT. Or, that might just be the Political Lounge coming through for me...

greg